


A Princess After My Own Heart

by rotrude



Category: Merlin - Fandom
Genre: Arthur/Merlin hinted at, F/M, First Meeting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-06-05
Updated: 2012-06-05
Packaged: 2017-11-06 21:27:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 860
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/423428
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rotrude/pseuds/rotrude
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Noble people are noble people; the world could do without them. Or so Gwaine thinks until he meets a certain princess.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Princess After My Own Heart

“Princess Elena is going to visit Camelot for a second time,” was Arthur's announcement to the body of knights gathered in the courtyard. He paraded in front of them as though he was reviewing his troops before a charge.

Actually, Gwaine found his formality a little bit funny, since the knights had merely been mustered to go through the planning of the princess' visit and there was no military emergency in sight.

“Since the relations between our two kingdoms are distended and cordial, we'll do our best to make the princess' visit enjoyable to the utmost,” Arthur said. “Therefore, we'll escort her from the Darkling Woods to Camelot's gates. Six knights will flank her horse as a sign of the respect Camelot bears her.”

Gwaine was busy wondering why this princess wasn't travelling in a carriage as most princesses he'd seen had been want to do, when he heard Geraint say, “Elena is a veritable beauty though she has a strange history.”

Another knight, who was standing close, joined the chorus, “Absolutely. I happened to like her even when she was a wee bit clumsy. Pretty eyes.”

“So you want to be a part of her escort?”

“You bet.”

Gwaine snorted loudly. He didn't wish to escort any fine lady on her prancing horse. He disliked finely bred women; they didn't act naturally and were seldom friendly. All they cared about was the attention they might get or the uses they could put lower born people to. Most of his mother's friends had given her the cold shoulder when Gwaine's overlord had refused to acknowledge his father's just deserts after his death. This when they'd loudly proclaimed their friendship for her when they thought the king would better protect her in her widowed state. Besides, Gwaine had been around and had found little reason to appreciate aristocrats. He did put up with Arthur Pendragon because he had his moments and Merlin was all about Arthur. On balance, though, he'd never liked noble people much and that didn't change when the sex of the person concerned did.

A noble was a noble was a noble whichever suffix you chose.

The problem was Arthur had heard his less than refined expostulation.

“Gwaine is going to be in charge of the escorting knights,” Arthur concluded in his best regal tone, producing a satisfied grin on top. (Gwaine suspected Arthur had still not got over the fact that Gwaine had nearly had sex with Merlin.)

“Lucky bastard,” said Geraint, addressing Gwaine. Most of the knights, in fact, scowled at him, green with envy.

Gwaine complained against Arthur's decision – after all, if Arthur was so happy today it was because Gwaine had nudged him along the right path with Merlin – but to no avail.

He was to lead Princess Elena's escort.

 

****

The sun was shining, painting the forest into a myriad of luscious colours. It was warm but not overly so. In short, it was the perfect day to be out riding or so it would have been hadn't Gwaine been saddled with this boring escorting duty. He'd rather snooze and lie back in a daffodil field than do this.

Yet being a knight entailed new responsibilities and Gwaine loved his Camelot friends to the point that Camelot's defence and needs had become a priority with him.

However, this didn't make him too happy about playing the role of the perfect courtly knight. Lancelot would have done this way better back when, had been decidedly better suited for it, poor sod, but Merlin swore Elena was a nice person and Gwaine trusted Merlin's instincts. So he had eventually agreed to obey Arthur.

He was lost in thought when suddenly the noise of hooves thundering across the hard ground made itself heard.

He barely had the time to register this and signal to the other men to form around him, when he saw a horse and rider break through the foliage by jumping over a fallen trunk after a full tilt ride.

The mastery shown by the rider took Gwaine's breath away; more so, if he thought about the daring spirit necessarry to pull this little piece of horsemanship off. Or if he thought about the fact that the person on the saddle was a beautiful blonde woman Gwaine couldn't but admire; her cheeks were a little sun-kissed, her chest was rising and falling, and her eyes, blown wide with excitement, were twinkling merrily.

The woman reined her horse in just far enough away so as not to spook Gwaine's own mount. Gloved hands still wrapped around the bridle, she looked up, smiled sheepishly, rolled her eyes and said, “Oops. I'm so sorry for that entrance. I hadn't meant to but I got a new bay for my birthday and I was trying him out.” Eyes shining, she announced, “I'm Elena by the way.” And laughed merrily, then hastily covered her mouth as if she thought she'd exceeded the bounds of propriety. “Still learning manners,” she whispered and winked, offering her hand for a not particularly courtly shake.

Completely smitten and ramping up the charm, Gwaine said, “A princess after my own heart then.”

 

The End.


End file.
